Mystery surrounds body found in trash can

Authorities are investigating a body found in a trash can in Brea on Friday.

A motorist driving on Brea Canyon Road pulled over about 3:10 p.m. and looked inside a trash can that was on the side of the road, officials said.

The driver “saw what appeared to be human hands” and immediately called the police, Brea police Lt. Santo Porto told The Times.

Police have not yet determined the age, race or gender of the body, Porto said.

Officials told the Orange County Register that they were treating the case as a homicide and planned to conduct an autopsy. They said they had few leads and were trying to determine how the body got there.